A Bump In The Road
by PequaPrincess514
Summary: A young Chandler finds out some news that can potentionally ruin his life. When he moves away from his mother's home and into the city he has an even tougher time. Can love save him? (C&M)
1. Prologue

Authors Note: I'm back again, this time with a new story.  This one is going to be a little bit different, but may turn out to be a tiny bit similar, we'll see.  Any suggestions or comments, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!  Also, since this is a fan fiction it is going to take place in a world alternate to the "Friends" world.  There will be some stuff that is taken from the show, but most of it is from my imagination.  Oh, and I don't own any of the "Friends" characters.

**Prologue:**

There was a loud banging on the door, interrupting the dinner that a seventeen-year-old Chandler Bing was having with his mother.  Jumping up, Chandler gladly offered to get the door, glad to get away from his mother's constant talk and questions about sex.  But when he saw who was standing on the other side of the door and heard what that person had to say, he wished that the interruption never came.  All that he wanted to do was to go back to talking about sex with his mother.  He wished that sex-talk was his biggest problem.

"Chandler, who is it?" Nora's voice called from the kitchen.  Chandler remained silent and soon her footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the house.  "Why hello Kristen, what brings you here?" Nora asked, seemingly oblivious to the look of sheer fright on Chandler's face and the tears still present on Kristen's.

Unable to control what was happening before him, Chandler opened the door wider, wordlessly inviting Kristen into his home.  She stepped in and looked around as if she had never been in the house before, when in actuality she was there hundreds of times.  "Um, Nora, I think that you should sit down for this." Kristen replied following Chandler into the living room.

Nora looked at the two confused.  "Mom, before she says anything, I just want you to know that I'm sorry," Chandler apologized and then quickly added, "and don't kill me."

Kristen looked at Chandler, expecting and wanting him to reveal the big secret so she wouldn't have to but when he did not, she spoke, "I'm pregnant and I'm going to need some money for an abortion." She talked so quickly that it was a surprise Nora even understood what Kristen had said.  But the look on her face made it obvious that she fully comprehended every word that was spoken. 

A white mask swept across Nora's face and she looked as if she was about to faint; however she let out a suppressed laugh. "And why should we give you the money?" Nora asked, fully knowing the answer, but still in some sort of denial.  

"Because I'm the one who knocked her up." Chandler bluntly stated.

Nora gave Chandler a glare and what came out of her mouth next shocked and frightened Chandler, "I will not allow you to have an abortion! Chandler will raise this baby alone if he has to!"


	2. Chapter 1

Authors Note: I need some help in making some words italic because I type up all of my stories on word and it never really seems to show up when I post it here. Anyway, this story is going to differ from the history on the show, obviously. Hope that you enjoy this chapter. Oh and please review! I'd appreciate any comments that you may have! Thanks  
  
Chapter 1  
  
The air smelled of chlorine mixed with urine, but Chandler did not mind. The bathroom of the hospital was a refuge from the chaotic world around him. Everything that had happened to him in the past six months have seemed so unreal, but today was the day that reality was going to hit him, hard. Senior year of high school was supposed to be about hanging out with friends, searching for college, getting your driver license, and anxiously anticipate turning eighteen. However, the day that his mother made the decision for him changed the whole course of his life.  
  
Chandler looked at himself in the mirror. He was just putting the blame on someone else; it was not his mother's fault why he was in this mess. Sure, he could have taken the easy way out and have let Kristen get an abortion, but he knew that probably in the long run, he would have greatly regretted that decision. What caused him to tremble with fear was the idea that he would be raising this baby alone. The only way that Kristen agreed to have the baby was if she was able to sign over all parental custody. Which meant, no support from her or her family: emotionally or financially. Chandler took one last look at himself in the mirror before entering back into reality.  
  
"There you are!" Nora shrieked grabbing hold of Chandler's arm and pulling him down the long white corridor, "She's almost about to deliver! You're going to be a dad soon! This is so exciting." Nora gushed. Chandler's face turned ghost white and he could feel the sweat beads form on his head and his hands felt slimy. "Don't worry Chandler, I'm going to be here to help you." Nora reassured him.  
  
"I know." Chandler meekly replied. His heart almost stopped when he reached the door to Kristen's room. He stood there for a minute not able to walk in. They had not talked very much since she had told him about the pregnancy, except when he accompanied her to doctor, and he had just felt weird. Something between them had changed during that time and that hurt him because she was his first love. Taking a deep breath Chandler allowed his hand to touch the cool door and he pushed his way inside.  
  
Kristen glared up at him, speaking hatred with her eyes. Chandler gulped, "Hey how are you doing?" He asked taking the chair next to her bed, wishing that his mother had accompanied him into the room.  
  
"How do you think I'm doing?" Kristen asked bitterly. She turned her head away from him but he could see the tear roll down her cheek.  
  
"I'm sorry it ended up like this." Chandler apologetically whispered. He hated this. A baby should bring people together, not tear them even further apart. Not knowing what came over him, Chandler reached out to hold Kristen's hand.  
  
"Whose fault is that?" She replied as she wrenched her hand away from Chandlers. Although Chandler expected that, he would be lying if he said that it did not hurt. Even though Chandler wanted to leave to the room, he stayed in there with Kristen because neither of her parents were there and he just felt like it was the least that he could do.  
  
For the seven hours that Kristen was in labor both she and Chandler stood in total silence with the exception of when the doctors came in to check on her and when Kristen was screaming out in pain. Once in a while Nora would pop her head in to check up on everything, but when the obstetrician said that the baby's head was crowning, she stood in the room for good.  
  
"It's a baby girl! Congratulations." The doctor's voice boomed in the tiny room. Nora looked at Chandler who surprisingly had tears in his eyes. When Kristen was asked if she wanted to hold the baby she vehemently refused.  
  
Chandler looked at his little girl and he did not know what it was, but a sensation was building up inside of him. Maybe it was fear mixed with love, he could not fully explain it, but what he did know that it felt strangely good. Everything happened for a reason, right? There had to be some reason why this baby girl was brought into the world. His baby girl. "Oh my God, I'm a father..." Chandler blankly stated. Nora tenderly gave her son a hug as if to say that everything was going to be ok. This was merely just a bump in the road... a very beautiful bump. 


	3. Chapter 2

Authors Note: Thank you everyone for reviewing the story! I really appreciate all of the positive feedback that I am getting, please keep in coming.  I am so happy that you are enjoying this story.  I hope you like the next chapter.

**Chapter 2:**

The black material felt like silk against Chandler's body.  Looking at himself in the mirror, he fixed his graduation cap.  June 27th – Graduation Day.  There were times throughout the year where he had felt as if the day was never going to come.  It took a lot of hard work and persistence to be standing in his cap and gown today.  This year had caused much growing within him that he was not the same goofy person that was depicted in the yearbook. 

From the corner of his eye, Chandler glanced at the empty crib.  Nora had taken his two-month-old daughter, Madison, out for walk to the great relief of Chandler.  The floor squeaked beneath him as Chandler walked across the room to get Madison's diaper back.  

"Chandler, we're home." Nora's voice called from the bottom of the stairs, "We really should be leaving soon, come down!"

Hearing the sense of urgency that was normally not present in his mother's voice, caused Chandler to glance down at his watch.  "Shit." Chandler cursed to himself grabbing the last of his belongings before running down the stairs.  They only had twenty minutes to get the school before the ceremony began.  

Tears filled up in Nora's eyes when she saw her son in his cap and gown.  Although he was an adult already, this was one of the symbols of adulthood.  Her only baby was growing up, and fast.  "You look so handsome." Nora cried out giving Chandler a hug.  

A small smile spread across Chandler's face, "Don't cry, mom." Nora forced a smile dabbing her eyes so that her make-up would not run.  She took the diaper bag off of Chandler's shoulder.  Quietly Chandler followed her out of the house pushing a stroller.  The ten-minute car ride to the school was silent because Nora did not have to tell Chandler that she was proud of him, he already knew.  

"Good luck." Nora whispered as she entered the auditorium with Chandler.  

"Thanks." Chandler replied, his blue eyes filled with a mix of anticipation and anxiety.  There was a part of him that did not want to go up on the stage to his accept his diploma in front of his classmates.  He was the outsider, and always was, but even more since he had a baby.  Everyone turned against him; they made him believe that he was the bad one for wanting to keep his child.  The teachers were tougher on him and Chandler knew that they disapproved of the decision that he made.  There were so many students who had abortions, that the school knew about and even more that the school did not know, and it bothered him that they made a spectacle out of him keeping his child.  In the beginning a huge bit of him was angry at the decision that he made, angry about the decision that his mother made him make, but now he was glad that he made that decision.  Chandler kissed the top of Madison's head and then to Nora's pleasant surprise kissed her on the cheek.  "Thanks, for everything." Chandler stated before he walked up the aisle to his rightful place amongst his classmates. 

Holding Madison's baby carrier, Nora walked her way over to where the other parents were sitting.  Her face began to turn red as other parents began to stare her down.  However, she did let them get to her.  She would watch her son graduate no matter what.  Nora looked around for a familiar face to sit next to, however the ceremony was just beginning so she quickly sat in the closest available seat.  As she placed the baby carrier between her feet on the floor she glanced at her granddaughter who was peacefully sleeping while sucking on her pacifier.  A fuzzy warmth began to fill up inside of Nora as she turned her attention to the stage.

Not saying a word, Chandler sat in his seat boiling up with anger due to his classmates' quiet chatter while the principal was talking.  They were talking about him and even worse they were calling his daughter a "mistake."  Other people may have viewed his daughter as a mistake, but neither her nor his mother ever thought that.  Madison was gift from Heaven, sent down by God to bless their family, and she did just that.  The teenager inside of Chandler wanted to fight them back, but the man inside of him made him hold back.  He did not want to cause a scene in front of over a hundred people, and even more importantly in front of his family.

Finally, the moment arrived, "Chandler M. Bing." Upon hearing his name proudly Chandler walked up to receive his diploma.  Although he knew that the audience was not clapping for him, he didn't care because he saw his mother stand up and take about a dozen blinding snap shots of him.  He had beat all odds and done it, he graduated from high school.  Now his next task was to graduate college while still being the best father that he could be to Madison.


End file.
